The word bespoke gets used quite a bit these days. So, is there a difference between bespoke and made to measure clothing? The answer is yes, absolutely.
Now, there are similarities and quality between bespoke and made to measure clothing, but the beginning stage of the process is very different.
We are a brand that takes pride in the practice of transparency with our customers.
Let's break this down.
Bespoke is the true art form of tailoring. This process is done by a master tailor, one who usually is from a lineage of tailors and has mastered this craft. They create the garment from start to finish, in-house from scratch. The fabric is not cut until you select it. Usually, the master tailor will be the one who cuts the fabric but in some cases the house has a designated "cutter" that will accurately cut the pattern needed for your garment. This process requires more than one fitting to create a unique pattern for you. A true art form.
The bespoke process is done entirely by hand requiring over 50+ hours of labor to stitch every last detail from the shoulder construction, canvassing, sleeve attachment, lining of the armhole, pick stitching, collar turn back, buttonholes, trousers waistband, hem stitching, label, etc. If those few details don't make you appreciate bespoke tailoring, we don't know what will. Well, actually we do. Go have one done by a master tailor in a Sartoria in Italy or Saville row.
The price is usually quite a bit higher than a made to measure garment because as you can see the process is a true art form and should be valued accordingly. Now, with all that being said, this does not take away any value from made to measure, and here's why.
What is made to measure exactly?
Made to measure is still a lengthy process that involves highly skilled tailors. Here is where the difference comes in.
The process begins with taking an existing pattern and adapting it to a particular person to achieve and tailored and custom made fit. The fabric is usually housed at different ateliers and factories. This process only involves one fitting. A highly skilled tailor will take precise measurements down to the millimeter along with postural corrections to make sure that the pattern is cut and adjusted accordingly. This pattern is cut by machine. Then a highly skilled tailor will use a sewing machine to complete the process, such as the shoulder construction, canvassing, sleeve attachment, lining of the armhole, pick stitching, collar turn back, buttonholes, trouser waistband, hem stitching, label, etc. This is still a very labor intensive process that should not be under appreciated. There is no reason not to use the advanced technology of sewing machines to enhance the production.
This allows for greater amounts of quality production to have a faster turnaround time for a garment to be delivered usually in 3-4 weeks, and is more affordable for the consumer. The result is the closest creation to a true bespoke experience. So, when a brand offers "bespoke", you can now ask some additional questions to find out if it is the true art form, or the new and improved modern version of it, made to measure. Which again, is an amazing experience and a great way to get custom made garments with a precise tailored fit, along with plenty of design options some exceeding Bespoke. You will also find that some made to measure brands like SZABO, offer made in Italy to give you those handmade finished details. These requests are usually made by gentlemen that are pure sartorialists and/or our most discerning, and know the value in the investment.
The fabrics offered in made to measure and custom made are of the highest quality that Italian and English mills have to offer, as in bespoke. Fabrics from Loro Piana, Zenga, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Lanificio Rogna, Drago, Huddersfield, Fox Brothers, etc. We go out of our way to source these fabrics to bring you the quality and luxury you deserve in your menswear. You will be wearing the best that made to measure has to offer.
Discover more details about SZABO "Made for You" and experience where creativity and contemporary tailoring collide.
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